Bill Commons

DE HB 412

enacted

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 7 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO HUNTING, TRAPPING, GAME ANIMALS, GAME BIRDS, DEER, AND PROTECTED WILDLIFE.

Delaware · 2025-2026 Regular Session (153rd General Assembly) · lower

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Quick answers

Did DE HB 412 pass?

Yes. DE HB 412 has been enacted into law. Latest recorded action (2026-07-23): Signed by Governor

What is DE HB 412 about?

This Substitute is different from the original bill in that it adds the activities of fishing, crabbing and clamming as requiring a license consistent with line 18 already in the code. The substitute also clarifies in section 2 that dogs may be used for tracking or recovering a wounded or dead deer that was lawfully shot during open deer season. Section 1 of this Act closes a loophole that allows hunters and trappers who are exempt from obtaining a Delaware hunting or trapping license to avoid completing a Department-approved hunting or trapping education program. Although many exempt hunters and trappers already complete these programs, this legislation codifies the requirement. This Act also updates and clarifies the statutory language governing administration of drugs to wildlife. Section 2 of this Act adds language to expressly permit the sale of taxidermy and antlers from lawfully taken deer. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform with the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

Who sponsors DE HB 412?

Brian Pettyjohn, Bryan Townsend, William J. Carson and 1 others are the primary sponsors of DE HB 412.

Description

This Substitute is different from the original bill in that it adds the activities of fishing, crabbing and clamming as requiring a license consistent with line 18 already in the code. The substitute also clarifies in section 2 that dogs may be used for tracking or recovering a wounded or dead deer that was lawfully shot during open deer season. Section 1 of this Act closes a loophole that allows hunters and trappers who are exempt from obtaining a Delaware hunting or trapping license to avoid completing a Department-approved hunting or trapping education program. Although many exempt hunters and trappers already complete these programs, this legislation codifies the requirement. This Act also updates and clarifies the statutory language governing administration of drugs to wildlife. Section 2 of this Act adds language to expressly permit the sale of taxidermy and antlers from lawfully taken deer. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform with the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

Introduced
2026-05-21
Latest action
2026-07-23 — Signed by Governor
Bill type
bill
Last updated
—

Sponsors

  • Brian Pettyjohnprimary
  • Bryan Townsendprimary
  • William J. Carsonprimary
  • Jeffrey N. Spiegelmanprimary

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

Newest first

  1. 2026-07-23

    Signed by Governor

    executive-signature

  2. 2026-07-01

    Passed By Senate. Votes: 20 YES 1 ABSENT

    passage

  3. 2026-06-18

    Reported Out of Committee (Environment, Energy & Transportation) in Senate with 1 Favorable, 4 On Its Merits

    committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable

  4. 2026-06-11

    Assigned to Environment, Energy & Transportation Committee in Senate

    introduction,referral-committee

  5. 2026-06-11

    Passed By House. Votes: 39 YES 2 ABSENT

    passage

  6. 2026-05-21

    was introduced and adopted in lieu of HB 412

    introduction

Versions

Documents

Votes

  • SM

    2026-06-11 · pass · 39-0

    Member-level votes (41)
    • Alonna Berry: yes
    • Stephanie T. Bolden: other
    • Frank Burns: yes
    • William Bush: yes
    • William J. Carson: yes
    • Nnamdi O. Chukwuocha: yes
    • Richard G. Collins: yes
    • Franklin D. Cooke: yes
    • Daniel B. Short: yes
    • Timothy D. Dukes: yes
    • Mara Gorman: yes
    • Ronald E. Gray: yes
    • Krista Griffith: yes
    • Kerri Evelyn Harris: yes
    • Debra Heffernan: yes
    • Kevin S Hensley: other
    • Jeff Hilovsky: yes
    • Valerie Jones Giltner: yes
    • Kendra Johnson: yes
    • Kimberly Williams: yes
    • Kamela T Smith: yes
    • Larry Lambert: yes
    • Sean M. Lynn: yes
    • Michael F. Smith: yes
    • Melissa Minor-Brown: yes
    • Shannon Morris: yes
    • Eric Morrison: yes
    • DeShanna U Neal: yes
    • Josue O Ortega: yes
    • Edward S. Osienski: yes
    • Sophie Phillips: yes
    • Charles S Postles Jr.: yes
    • Cyndie Romer: yes
    • Melanie Ross Levin: yes
    • Sherae'a Moore: yes
    • Bryan W. Shupe: yes
    • Claire Snyder-Hall: yes
    • Jeffrey N. Spiegelman: yes
    • Jesse R. Vanderwende: yes
    • Madinah Wilson-Anton: yes
    • Lyndon D. Yearick: yes
  • 2/3

    2026-07-01 · pass · 20-0

    Member-level votes (21)
    • Darius J. Brown: yes
    • Eric Buckson: yes
    • Daniel Cruce: yes
    • Stephanie L. Hansen: yes
    • Gerald W. Hocker: yes
    • Kyra L. Hoffner: yes
    • Russell Huxtable: yes
    • Dave G. Lawson: other
    • S. Elizabeth Lockman: yes
    • Spiros Mantzavinos: yes
    • Trey Paradee: yes
    • Brian Pettyjohn: yes
    • Marie Pinkney: yes
    • Nicole Poore: yes
    • Bryant L. Richardson: yes
    • Ray Seigfried: yes
    • David P. Sokola: yes
    • Laura V. Sturgeon: yes
    • Bryan Townsend: yes
    • John "Jack" Walsh: yes
    • David L. Wilson: yes

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

Attribution

Data from openstates_api_sync, retrieved 2026-10-23T04:09:53.032121Z

Inspect retained evidence for changes recorded after evidence tracking began:

Session-wide evidence can include changes to other bills:

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